The Central Board of Film Certification in India has blocked the screening of the Tunisian film 'The Voyage of Hind Rajab', which was nominated for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars. The Guardian reported that the board cited 'political sensitivity' as the reason for withholding clearance. The film’s Indian distributor, Manoj Nandwana of Joy Bhiratra Entertainment, said he submitted the film for certification in February, planning a March 6 release before the Oscars. A board member reportedly warned that the film could strain India-Israel relations, a claim Nandwana rejected.

The film, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, is based on the real-life story of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who died during an Israeli attack in Gaza in 2024. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival, receiving a 20-minute standing ovation and winning the Silver Lion award. The film has already been released in several Western countries with close ties to Israel.

The decision has sparked strong reactions in India. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticized the move on social media, calling it 'shameful' and an attack on freedom of expression. Analysts suggested the decision may reflect India’s growing diplomatic alignment with Israel under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The censor board has not issued an official statement.

Researchers have announced TRIBE v2, a next-generation predictive foundation model designed to act as a digital twin of human neural activity. The model can forecast how the brain responds to various sights, sounds, and language inputs with unprecedented speed and accuracy, offering a seventyfold increase in resolution compared to similar systems. TRIBE v2 was trained on data from more than 700 healthy volunteers exposed to diverse media, including images, podcasts, videos, and text. It enables zero-shot predictions for new subjects, languages, and tasks, outperforming standard modeling approaches.

The developers have released the model, codebase, research paper, and an interactive demo to support neuroscientists and clinical researchers. By simulating brain activity computationally, TRIBE v2 allows testing of hypotheses without requiring human subjects for every experiment. The release aims to accelerate neuroscience discovery, improve AI systems through brain-inspired insights, and advance treatments for neurological disorders.

All materials are shared under a CC BY-NC license, with the goal of fostering open research and enabling scientific and clinical breakthroughs for the broader community.

Google has introduced Lyria 3 Pro, an advanced version of its AI music generation model, on March 25, 2026. The new model enables users to create tracks up to three minutes long with enhanced structural awareness and customization. Lyria 3 Pro can generate specific musical elements such as intros, verses, choruses, and bridges, offering creators greater control and flexibility. The rollout extends Lyria’s capabilities to more Google products, including Vertex AI, Google AI Studio, Gemini API, Google Vids, the Gemini app, and ProducerAI.

According to Google, Lyria 3 Pro is designed to make high-quality music generation accessible to developers, businesses, and creators. It is available in public preview on Vertex AI for scalable audio production and integrated into Google Vids for Workspace and AI Pro subscribers. ProducerAI users can now collaborate with the model to iterate on full-length songs. The company emphasized responsible development, using only materials it has rights to and embedding all outputs with SynthID watermarks to identify AI-generated content.

Google stated that Lyria 3 Pro was developed in collaboration with musicians through its Music AI Sandbox, ensuring the technology supports creative expression while protecting intellectual property rights.

Shakira’s concert scheduled for April 1 in Doha has been postponed due to instability across the Middle East linked to the ongoing Iran war context. The announcement was made through a social media post by the tourism website 'Visit Qatar'.

In addition, the Afflinitez Music Festival in Abu Dhabi, where Shakira and the Jonas Brothers were expected to perform, has also been postponed until November this year, according to the ticketing platform 'Platinum List'. The decisions reflect growing uncertainty surrounding large public events in the region.

Both postponements highlight the impact of regional tensions on entertainment and tourism activities, though no new dates beyond November have been confirmed.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, stated that the proper use of artificial intelligence (AI) can bring a transformative change to the education system, particularly in countries like Bangladesh where trained teachers are not equally available. She made the remarks on Wednesday, March 25, while joining the global alliance ‘Fostering the Future Together,’ aimed at promoting safe technology and child development. The two-day conference was inaugurated by First Lady Melania Trump and organized by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

Zubaida Rahman highlighted that the government is working to deliver innovative technology and healthcare to children, providing teachers with digital tools, updating learning materials, and introducing digital curricula. She emphasized that educational technology is helping reduce urban-rural disparities while ensuring safe and ethical use. As a physician, she reaffirmed her commitment to accessible healthcare for every child and mentioned her involvement with the Ziaur Rahman Foundation in education and youth development.

She praised current government initiatives such as the ‘Family Card’ and ‘Farmer Card,’ and reiterated the government’s pledge to ensure free education for women up to postgraduate level, continuing Bangladesh’s tradition of women’s empowerment.

The Central Board of Film Certification in India has blocked the screening of the Tunisian film 'The Voyage of Hind Rajab', which was nominated for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars. According to The Guardian, the board cited 'political sensitivity' as the reason for denying clearance. The film’s Indian distributor, Manoj Nandwana of Joy Bhiratra Entertainment, said he had applied for certification in February with plans to release the film on March 6, before the Oscars. He was reportedly told that the film could strain India-Israel relations, a claim he rejected.

The film, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, is based on the real-life death of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab during the 2024 Gaza conflict. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a 20-minute standing ovation and won the Silver Lion award. News of the ban has sparked strong reactions in India, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calling the move 'shameful' and an attack on freedom of expression.

Analysts cited in the report suggested that India’s growing diplomatic alignment with Israel under Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have influenced the censorship decision. The censor board has not issued an official statement on the matter.

OpenAI announced it will shut down its Sora AI video app just months after its launch, marking a major shift in the company’s strategy. In a statement, OpenAI thanked users and creators for their contributions and said it would share more details soon about timelines for the app and API, as well as how users can preserve their work. The decision coincides with Disney’s withdrawal from its $1 billion investment deal with OpenAI, which included licensing some of its characters for use in Sora.

Sora debuted last fall and quickly drew attention in Hollywood for its use of established intellectual property and actor likenesses. OpenAI later adjusted the platform to give studios and talent more control over their content. Disney had planned to integrate Sora’s technology into Disney+, but the app’s closure has effectively ended that collaboration. A Disney spokesperson said the company respects OpenAI’s decision to shift priorities and will continue exploring AI partnerships that respect creators’ rights.

The move leaves Google as the dominant player in large-scale AI video generation, though it has yet to secure licensing deals with major IP holders and faces ongoing legal challenges.

Journalists at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have announced a 24-hour strike starting Wednesday, marking the first such action in two decades. The decision follows the rejection of a management proposal to raise wages by 10 percent over three years. Around 60 percent of ABC journalists voted against the offer, citing inflation of 3.8 percent in January and dissatisfaction with the proposal’s omission of key issues such as maternity leave and the use of artificial intelligence.

Union representatives from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance said the offer would reduce working conditions, fail to keep up with inflation, and allow AI bots to replace journalists. The Community and Public Sector Union also warned that broadcast disruptions were inevitable until a fair proposal was made. ABC’s Managing Director Hugh Marks defended the offer as financially responsible and sustainable under current conditions.

To resolve the dispute, ABC has sought assistance from Australia’s Fair Work Commission. The last strike by ABC employees occurred in 2006 over similar pay and workplace concerns.

OpenAI is preparing to launch a desktop “superapp” that will combine its ChatGPT application, coding platform Codex, and browser into a single unified product. The initiative aims to simplify the user experience and strengthen the company’s focus on engineering and business customers. The move marks a significant step in OpenAI’s strategy to consolidate its tools and make them more accessible through a cohesive interface.

The company’s Chief of Applications, Fidji Simo, will lead the transition and coordinate with the sales team to market the new product. OpenAI President Greg Brockman, who currently oversees computing operations, will assist Simo in managing the product redesign and related organizational adjustments. According to an OpenAI spokeswoman, these leadership roles are intended to ensure a smooth rollout and alignment across teams.

The planned integration signals OpenAI’s continued effort to refine its product ecosystem and enhance usability for professional users, though specific launch details were not disclosed.

YouTube has started surveying users in March 2026 to determine whether videos on its platform "feel like AI slop," as part of a new effort to address the spread of low-quality AI-generated content. The poll asks viewers to rate videos on a scale from "not at all" to "extremely" in response to the question, "does this feel like AI slop?" Reports of the survey surfaced across X, Reddit, and other platforms, with screenshots shared by accounts such as vidIQ showing YouTube’s interface for collecting user feedback.

The initiative follows growing concern within the YouTube community about the rise of entire videos produced using AI software that attract billions of views despite being considered low quality. The Google-owned platform has been balancing its use of AI tools while attempting to curb their misuse. Earlier this month, Google also announced an investment in an AI animation studio to create children’s content aimed at countering the surge of poor-quality AI videos.

It remains unclear how YouTube will use the survey data or whether repeated labeling of videos as “AI slop” will influence its recommendation algorithms.

Amazon is reportedly working on a new smartphone centered on its AI assistant Alexa, nearly a decade after discontinuing the Fire Phone. According to Reuters, the device, code-named “Transformer,” is being developed by Amazon’s ZeroOne group led by J Allard, a former Microsoft executive known for his work on the Zune and Xbox. The project is said to explore both smartphone and minimalist “dumbphone” designs inspired by the $700 Light Phone, which features a black-and-white display and no app store.

The “Transformer” phone will reportedly integrate artificial intelligence capabilities at its core, though Alexa may not serve as the primary operating system. Instead of a traditional app store, the device could rely on mini apps similar to those used in ChatGPT. Amazon has not announced a release timeline or pricing details, and it remains uncertain whether the phone will reach the market.

The move comes as Amazon seeks to strengthen its position in AI following the underperformance of its LLM-powered Alexa Plus, which drew user complaints about slower responses and excessive advertising.

Perplexity has launched Perplexity Health, a new platform that connects users’ electronic health records and wearable data to deliver personalized health answers. The service integrates with Apple Health, Fitbit, Ultrahuman, Withings, and over 1.7 million care providers through partners such as b.well and Terra API. It enables users to ask health-related questions that draw from their lab results, prescriptions, and activity data, all within a single interface. The rollout begins for Pro and Max users in the United States, with additional regions to follow.

Perplexity Health operates within Perplexity Computer, an AI system that coordinates multiple agents to analyze and generate insights. Users can create customized training plans, nutrition programs, or visit-prep summaries for medical appointments. The platform sources information from peer-reviewed journals and clinical guidelines, providing citations for transparency and guidance on when to seek medical care.

The company emphasizes data security through encryption, strict access controls, and user-managed data deletion. Health data is not used to train AI models or sold to third parties. A newly formed Perplexity Health Advisory Board of clinicians and researchers will oversee product quality and clinical standards.

Blue Origin, the aerospace company backed by Jeff Bezos, has filed an application with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to establish data centers in space under a project called Project Sunrise. The plan involves deploying up to 51,600 satellites in sun-synchronous orbit that will use optical links to communicate through Blue Origin’s planned satellite network, TeraWave. The company says these solar-powered satellites will create a new computing tier independent of Earth-based infrastructure.

According to Blue Origin’s filing, space-based data centers could reduce costs by eliminating land, grid, and power constraints while taking advantage of continuous solar energy. The proposal mirrors a similar plan by SpaceX, which earlier this year sought approval to launch one million orbital data center satellites connected to its Starlink network. Both companies argue that space computing could be cheaper and less restricted by terrestrial regulations.

The concept has drawn skepticism from industry observers. Figures such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and analysts at Gartner have criticized the idea as impractical and overly ambitious, citing cost and technical challenges of operating data centers in orbit.

Codex has announced a new initiative providing verified university students in the United States and Canada with $100 in credits for use within Codex. The program aims to support students who are using Codex to develop software projects such as course registration tools, community platforms, and interactive study systems. Eligible students can claim the offer by verifying their enrollment status through SheerID, after which the credits will be automatically added to their ChatGPT accounts.

The offer is limited to one per student and applies only to those currently enrolled at degree-granting universities and residing in the United States or Canada. Credits are valid for 12 months from the date of issuance and will be applied to the student’s personal workspace within ChatGPT. Codex clarified that these are not API credits but ChatGPT credits that extend Codex usage beyond standard plan limits.

The initiative underscores Codex’s focus on empowering the next generation of software builders by lowering barriers to experimentation and innovation among university students.

India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has reportedly withheld the release of the Oscar-nominated film “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” citing concerns that it could harm India-Israel relations. The Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s docudrama tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who was allegedly killed by Israeli soldiers while waiting to be rescued in Gaza.

Indian distributor Manoj Nandwana said he submitted the film for approval in February, hoping for a March release, but the CBFC blocked it, reportedly warning that the film’s release might damage diplomatic ties. He noted that the decision came shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel. The film had already been barred from several Indian film festivals, including those in Goa, Bengaluru, Pune, and Kerala.

Badi Ali, co-founder of production company Watermelon Pictures, criticized the move as unreasonable, while director Ben Hania questioned on social media whether the relationship between the two democracies was so fragile that a film could threaten it.